I was kind of thinking about what the future holds in technology this morning, and it is kind of overwhelming. This is kind of a wild rant, but bear with me. Think about how we use our computers and external drives now. Memory is increasing rapidly, and physical size is getting smaller. Now what if external memory gets so efficient that some sort of external storage gets small enough to be implanted into our bodies in a chip. And what if memory increases to astronomical levels that are almost unimagineable. What if the user friendly efficiency of the software becomes so easy that anyone can use it to endless levels.
So, if we could carry around these chips with everything we ever wanted, games, tv shows, movies, encyclopedias, etc., we would have instant acess at anytime. Think about even having language translation software, maps, the sky is the limit. Now what if there was a way to interface with the chips efficiently at all times. There would almost be no need for our own memories. At least data would be covered, but we would only have to store feelings in our heads. Everything you have ever seen could be stored as well, so images could be replaced too. Instant all the time access to the internet? High quality audio and video storage of every moment you have lived?
With the above now think about what this would do to education. What would we go to school for if everything we need data wise is already there? Maybe just referrence classes, and physical hands on learning of what we do in normal life. School could possibly become obsolete except for how to use the technology available. Would history be necessary? English? Social studies? If you have all the info available to you from day one, what would be left to teach? Memorizing would not be necessary, just how to referrence quickly, and how to interperit data accurately. Would a PHD be a one year course?
Even everyday things may go away. The gameshow Jeopardy would become pointless. So would libraries. How about paper or even using your hands to write? What would it be like to never forget anything ever again? If every memory, place you have been to, or person you met, could be accessed at anytime, imagine what would change? Would talking with old friends about events of the past go away? If both of you can already see in perfect clarity what happened back in highschool etc., what would be the point in reflecting on it? Maybe just to express how the event made you feel personally?
Anyway, just one of those early morning daydreams over coffee I thought I would share.
So, if we could carry around these chips with everything we ever wanted, games, tv shows, movies, encyclopedias, etc., we would have instant acess at anytime. Think about even having language translation software, maps, the sky is the limit. Now what if there was a way to interface with the chips efficiently at all times. There would almost be no need for our own memories. At least data would be covered, but we would only have to store feelings in our heads. Everything you have ever seen could be stored as well, so images could be replaced too. Instant all the time access to the internet? High quality audio and video storage of every moment you have lived?
With the above now think about what this would do to education. What would we go to school for if everything we need data wise is already there? Maybe just referrence classes, and physical hands on learning of what we do in normal life. School could possibly become obsolete except for how to use the technology available. Would history be necessary? English? Social studies? If you have all the info available to you from day one, what would be left to teach? Memorizing would not be necessary, just how to referrence quickly, and how to interperit data accurately. Would a PHD be a one year course?
Even everyday things may go away. The gameshow Jeopardy would become pointless. So would libraries. How about paper or even using your hands to write? What would it be like to never forget anything ever again? If every memory, place you have been to, or person you met, could be accessed at anytime, imagine what would change? Would talking with old friends about events of the past go away? If both of you can already see in perfect clarity what happened back in highschool etc., what would be the point in reflecting on it? Maybe just to express how the event made you feel personally?
Anyway, just one of those early morning daydreams over coffee I thought I would share.
